Out & About #342 | Spot Crepes & Tea + Little Pebbles (Round 3)

​Can you tell that I'm exhausted? My 574s have seen more concrete with utility markups than my driveway in the past week, yet my trips have only been prolonged this weekend to make up loss hangout time with friends.

Orangecane recently returned from her grand journey in Europe, so we decided to unite for conversations over - you guessed it - lots of food.

​Getting together on a statutory holiday generally means heading downtown, as majority of the retailers and restaurants still remain in operation, but with shortened hours. We settled first on Spot, a cute little space along Spadina that offered sweet and savoury crepes at reasonable prices.
Quite frankly, I wanted Hibiscus, but Mondays mean closures for the renowned vegan eatery. A quick search of the area persuaded us in the direction of this alternative, which also carried milk teas and "luxury" loose leaf teas at varying prices in individual cups or medium-sized pots. Instead of herbal teas though, fruit smoothies and slushies seemed to be the most popular choice amongst the other diners.

Sauntering up the sloped entrance, we were greeted with a smile and gestured a nearby table. Double-sided menus and a list of teas were soon slipped underneath our noses.

​The drink choices were intriguing, and quite affordable too, but both of us opted to save room for the other destinations on our minds. While I was craving caffeine in the form of lattes, orangecane had her heart set on one spot and one spot only: Kung Fu Tea.

After briefly evaluating of our hunger levels, we placed our savoury crepe orders of Spicy Chicken and Salad Nicoise. The latter was a lighter choice packed with spring mix and a hard-boiled egg for protein. Other components included canned tuna, a spoonful of sweet corn kernels, and a minimal amount of mayo.
The crepe was thin and chewy, emitting an eggy essence. It wasn't as aromatic as Crepe de licious or Cafe Crepe (from what I can remember anyway) and even had a certain bitterness to its slightly burnt centre. The edges weren't wispy thin nor crisp either, but nonetheless, I enjoyed it. The tuna bits could have used a tad more seasoning, but the overall product was satisfying enough for my appetite.

The Spicy Chicken, as I was informed, contained a spicy sauce along with shredded chicken and bacon, retaining an overall mildness.​

​Two middle-aged ladies circulated the cozy space, striding between the kitchen at the back of the shop, the crepe griddles, cashier area, and the floor. Neither of them donned uniforms, nor aprons; one was evidently older and had owner-like vibes.

One of the ladies had made it aware to me that all savoury crepes were served with a complimentary side salad, as I had been debating between my eventual choice versus the more popular Crepe Sausage. The greens were served in a teardrop-shaped dish and drizzled in ranch dressing. The taste of it remains unknown to me though, as I had relinquished my own to fill orangecane's unfulfilled appetite.

​Clients were generally between their late teens to early thirties, some catching up in a small group and others working silently on laptops. With a tranquil environment, plenty of outlets, and a password-secured Wi-Fi network, it's easy to see how the compact cafe makes for the ideal study Spot (pun very much intended).

Should one's own laptop be insufficient in providing entertainment during one's stay, an amusing selection of novels and textbooks can also be found on a three-level shelf near the entranceway. Ranging from "Mao's Last Revolution" to "Probability & Statistics for Engineers and Scientists", the pattern was very much remiscent of a Mechanical Engineering major who had delved into Chinese history and politics - possibly as an elective - at some point in time.

​Washroom stalls were extremely spacious and well-equipped with responsive facilities and the necessary toiletries. Dust had been eliminated from the majority of the interior, barring some grey specs lining the corner trim.

In addition to crepes, tea, and fruity slushies, a (barren) gelato bar, commercial coffee brewing system, and Belgian waffle maker were also spotted. Given the appropriate portion size and quality of the savoury styles, it's highly probable that the sweeter variations will be in high demand come 25-degree weather.

​We passed by CoCo's newest venture in Chinatown while en route to Little Pebbles. Instead of the Black Tea Macchiato and Sago Milk Tea specials at other Ontario locations, Pudding Milk Tea and Taro Sago Milk Tea were classified as the Teas of the Month. Had I not been hankering for caffeine and an Osaka-style roll cake, I might have yielded to the pudding desires.

​With our arrival at the tiny Japanese dessert shop came a sudden influx of leisurely tourists. Thankfully, the bench immediately outside the establishment hadn't been taken yet. Its white background ensured a clean slate to accurately reveal textures of the items placed on top.

After marveling once again at the daily selection of cakes and sweets, we placed our orders and headed outside.

< Pictured above and below: Black Sesame Chiffon Cake, Osaka-Style Strawberry Roll Cake, Cascara Latte >

The Osaka-Style Strawberry Roll Cake had piqued my interest for some time now: wiggling the tiny fork through its spongy cross section bestowed a peculiar sense of achievement upon me. Finely chopped, ripe strawberries enveloped in airy bites of flavoured cream was a fantastic combination. It was only subtly sweet, yet outrightly satisfying.
Typical of Japanese baked goods, the cake itself comprised of little oil and butter, relying mainly on eggs, milk, and a noticeable amount of granulated white sugar for its profile. Primarily soft and spongy, there were also some firmer bits along its circumference.​

View the full (updated) album HERE !

​The cake was superb as a mid-afternoon snack, though lessening the quantity of sugar would only aid in heightening deliciousness.

​A regular latte with an additional shot of Cascara syrup proved to work wonders on my sleepy brain. It provided an instant boost swirled with the delectably bittersweet aftertaste of coffee cherry. Shots were an additional fifty cents, but well worth the flavour enhancement.

What a stunning latte heart too!

​As the last crumbs were consolidated and tossed into our mouths, orangecane reminded me that there was still one spot we hadn't touched yet.

The trek down Spadina is normally speedy, but the holiday traffic had caused an insane amount of congestion. It was impossible to pause and take a minute to think without being an inconvenience to the one(s) behind, regardless of whether you stepped off to the side like a considerate citizen or not.

​We chanced by a modest shop by the name of Plaiter Place, and took a moment to browse through the narrow aisles of wood-, bamboo-, and coconut shell-constructed products. A toolbox-like stationery stand (her) and a series of bamboo-themed servingware (me) found their way to our hands and into our bags.

​Fresh sugar cane juice with green tamarind pods were being sold at one of the numerous fruit stalls along the stretch. Thoroughly intrigued, I opted to try a small cup for a measly three dollars; large cups would set you back five.
The extreme sweetness I had expected was countered by a refreshing citrusy burst from the tamarind, making it the ideal beverage for sipping on while exploring.

​Finally, we arrived at the newly-opened Kung Fu Tea - me taking in the white-green colour theme while orangecane dashed inside to join the lineup with fidgety enthusiasm.

​I was sufficiently satisfied with my sugar cane juice in hand, thus remained an observer of the bubble tea establishment. Occasionally returning to the storefront to interact with the plastic mouth-less mascot.

​A Rose Milk Tea was retrieved from the drink bar some seven minutes later, at which point photos tooks place.

​Many thanks to orangecane for her patience in attempting to capture my recreation of the mascot's pose amidst a neverceasing crowd of locals and tourists, as well as their inquisitive stares.

​The remainder of the day was spent walking to the Eaton Centre, witnessing Duck Man's drum spectacle, and waiting eons for a fitting room in UNIQLO.

​A quick trip was also made to Uncle Tetsu BAKE, as the definition of a "cheese tart" remained undiscovered to my fellow food enthusiast, before I engaged in dragging myself to the point of utmost fatigue back to Union Station.

​Over ten thousand steps and constant sleep deprivation behind me, it's no wonder I was unconscious for a total of ten hours afterwards. Weariness aside, I was thankful that our schedules managed to coincide for another fun adventure.

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